Barrera and Khan to fight in Manchester

The Associated Press
Published: January 16, 2009

LONDON: The lightweight bout between former world champion Marco Antonio Barrera and Britain's Amir Khan in March will take place in Manchester.

The 34-year-old Barrera, the Mexican fighter who returned from a short-lived retirement in November by knocking out Sammy Ventura in his first lightweight bout, will meet Khan at the Manchester Evening News Arena in northwest England on March 14.

Promoter Frank Warren confirmed Friday that the bout will take place at the venue where the 22-year-old Khan was beaten for the only time in his 20-fight career.

Khan, who won a silver medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics, rebounded from a first-round loss in September to win the WBA international lightweight title last month with a second-round stoppage of Oisin Fagan. His record is 19-1.

"I'm so happy that the fight is at the M.E.N Arena," Khan said. "It's also the perfect opportunity to rid the ghosts of my loss to Breidis Prescott last year and a victory would send my career onto another level.

"This a fight for the fans and a chance for them to see Barrera, who is a living boxing legend, in a British ring against a young fighter who aims to achieve what he has."

While the fight will be the biggest so far of the 22-year-old Khan's 20-fight career, Barrera has held world titles at three different weights and won 64 of 71 professional fights.

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